A Benefice Profile

Sharnbrook, Felmersham, and Knotting with Souldrop,

North Bedfordshire

A compact rural Benefice of three active churches within a three mile radius, all sharing the picturesque countryside of the River Ouse valley.

We are located in a much sought after catchment area for excellent local schools.

We are rich in local amenities, shops, businesses, doctor’s surgery, and a vet, with wide ranging leisure pursuits, sports, social clubs, pubs and restaurants.

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We are enthusiastic congregations, committed to the need to grow and change Diocese of St Albans

Contents

Section 1 – Introducing ourselves

Section 2 – About our Benefice

Section 3 – Our Churches

Section 4 - Worshipping in the Benefice

Section 5 – Children and Families

Section 6 – Ministry team, PCCs & Finance

Section 7 – Ecumenical & Community Links

Section 8 – Schools and Education

Section 9 – The Rectory

Appendix 1 – Table of Services

Section 1

Introducing ourselves

We are a benefice of three active and closely integrated parishes in rural North Bedfordshire within the Diocese of St. Albans, the Archdeaconry of Bedford and the Deanery of Sharnbrook. Our three churches, St. Peter’s Sharnbrook, St. Mary’s Felmersham and All Saints’ Knotting with Souldrop came together as a united Benefice in 2005. We have regular meetings across the Benefice to review our current position and the opportunities and challenges for Mission and Growth.

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We were helped to this conclusion by considering the outputs from recent studies and consultations, and by reviewing some of our recent successful innovations, both at Benefice and at Parish level.

We were helped to this conclusion by considering the outputs from recent studies and consultations, and by reviewing some of our recent successful innovations, both at Benefice and Parish level.

Leading our Benefice into Growth

Our LYCIG journey began at the start of 2018 with a Study Course of 6 sessions around the Benefice, looking at what we should be doing as individuals and as a church, eg:

Raising spiritual awareness and attendance

Listening and responding to needs of others

Welcoming newcomers, reaching out more

Engaging with occasional and non-churchgoers

Being open to change and innovation

Reaching out to children and young families

Emphasising prayer and spirituality

Working together as a team

Using our churches for other activities

Facing the challenges and accommodating diverse views

Planning events to promote growth

Consulting our Parishes

During December 2018 in preparation for advertising this vacancy, each church distributed a questionnaire seeking views from members of the wider local community as well as from current church members. We asked about the past impact and the future focus for the local church - the building, the Rector, and the congregation. Several people commented that they were grateful to be consulted. The results showed we need to

be more outward looking

engage more fully with the pastoral needs in our communities

offer more family oriented services

find new ways to make use of the Church building

explore opportunities for closer engagement with the wider community.

We are looking for an outgoing team leader with strategic vision, a person of prayer who loves opportunities to share the Gospel in different ways, and a good family oriented communicator willing to engage with the wider community, who can inspire us in Leading our Benefice into

Growth, Mission and Outreach .

Across the Benefice……

We hold regular joint Benefice Services.

We have a weekly Benefice Pew Sheet of events, services and prayer requests.

St. Peter’s is working hard to encourage greater involvement with children in Messy Church and Rise & Shine and wants to build on this with the wider community, particularly at festival times.

All Saints’ have introduced ‘Thin Place’ and ‘Sacred Space’ services

St. Mary’s has a successful after school Messy Church and wants to explore how services can be more flexible for families and children

Section 2

About our Benefice

Our Benefice is just off the A6, a few miles north of

Bedford, close to the River Great Ouse and with good road connections to Cambridge, Milton Keynes and Northampton (45 mins drive). From Bedford there are good rail links to London St. Pancras, and Luton and Gatwick Airports. A regular bus service connects our villages with Bedford to the south and Kettering to the north, and a community bus service ‘The Villager’ connects us with other local towns.

Shopping - good markets in Bedford plus the usual super-

markets and shopping centres, also in Rushden. Sharnbrook village has two well-stocked general stores, a Co-0p and Nisa with Post Office, a Chemist, Hairdressers, Bakery/Sandwich shop with a Café, and a florist. Two farm shops sell a wide range of locally sourced fresh produce including meat products.

Housing is mixed - old traditional stone houses, some Victorian, 1960-1990’s plus some small modern developments. House

prices tend to be high (good schools & low crime rate) and there are current proposals to build more new housing (see www.sharnbrookparishcouncil.bedsparishes.gov.uk/neighbourhood-plan).

Employment – Unilever Research and Development plc at Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, employs 500 people, and

other smaller-medium businesses operate in the area. Many residents commute to London, Cambridge, Bedford, Milton Keynes and Oxford. There are a few local farms, and other self-employed people, some of whom work from home.

Other Facilities – Sharnbrook has a good GP surgery, a

veterinary practice, a large Village Hall adjoining a playing field/recreation ground; Tennis Club, Bowls Club, Paula Radcliffe Sports Centre; 2 pubs, 2 hotels with restaurants; a 9-hole Golf Course and the award winning Mill Theatre (see www.sharnbrookmilltheatre.co.uk). Felmersham and Souldrop each have a Village Hall, and local pubs that are popular.

Section 2 cont’d

More about our Benefice A united benefice since 2005, our three parishes each display different community characteristics.

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Sharnbrook (population 2500) is the largest parish, with shops, two schools and several social groups and activities – Allotments, Gardening Club, WI, Mothers’ Union, Community Choir, Fitness clubs, Good Companions, the Mill Theatre, Learning for Pleasure, Castle Close and Wildlife Heritage site. For more information see www.sharnbrookonline.co.uk

Knotting with Souldrop is the smallest parish (population 240) with the majority living in Souldrop, where the Village Hall, the Pub and the Church are a focus for village events, eg: hog roast, ‘pub & scrub’, and after church social get-togethers. The church at Knotting is redundant and is now in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust. More information can be found on the Souldrop Facebook page

Felmersham (population 850) sits on the bank of the River Great Ouse, with a primary school/village hall and various social groups – Table Tennis, Men’s Book Club, Thursday Club for the elderly, Craft groups and ‘Sunday Sisters’- young mums who meet socially in the local pub. For more information see www.Felmersham.net

Section 3

Our Churches www.sharnbrookcofechurches.org

St. Peter’s Church Sharnbrook, Grade 1 listed, is situated in a prominent position in the

centre of the village, and dates from 13th century. St. Peter’s Church Room was

completed in 2006 and has become a very positive social space used by the local

community. The last Quinquennial review was in 2016. The Church building is in

generally good repair. The next major project will be the installation of French Drains

around the south aspect, and tower, to prevent further penetration of water and acid

erosion at ground level, and the work is expected to start in 2019. Friends of St. Peter’s

is an extremely supportive group that raises funds for this and other fabric projects.

St. Mary’s Church Felmersham is Grade 1 listed, and is considered one of the

finest Early English Gothic buildings, included in many books listing churches

to visit. The building is in very good structural condition with the next

Quinquennial Inspection due in 2020. All major items have been actioned from

the last architect’s report which involved restoring internal plasterwork on damp

wall. Reconstruction of a land drain and the retaining churchyard wall are

scheduled for Spring 2019. The hamlet of Radwell is included in the parish.

All Saint’s Church Souldrop is Grade 1 Listed. There has been a church on the site since 1270, with the Tower dating from 1275. The church was rebuilt in 1800 and then again in 1860 after being destroyed by fire, the present nave and chancel being in the French Gothic style. The last Quinquennial report was in 2018, which showed the building to be in good order with minor maintenance work needed. There is an identified issue with the framework for the three bells. The costs of repair are likely to be substantial and options are being discussed. The redundant church of St. Margaret of Antioch, Knotting, lies within the parish of Knotting and Souldrop and was vested in the Churches Conservation Trust in 2009.

Section 4

Worshipping in the Benefice Sunday morning services1 at (9.30am) St.Peter’s Sharnbrook and St.Mary’s Felmersham (11.00am) are predominantly Eucharistic (Common Worship) with a choir and organist. On 2nd Sundays at St. Peter’s there are All Age or Family services, with or without Communion. On 4th Sundays at St. Mary’s there is Choral Matins, or sometimes a Community Service.

BCP Benefice Evensong (6.00pm) is generally at St. Peter’s, but there are occasional Benefice evensongs at other churches, including one at Knotting in July. A Taize service is held at St. Peter’s on every 5th Sunday.

All Saints’ Souldrop alternates between 11.00am Morning Worship (1st Sunday) and 8.30am BCP Parish Communion (3rd Sunday).

In all three Churches, Festival and special services – which seek to involve the wider community – are well attended

1 See table at Appendix 1 for more information about services

creative fun and learning about the Christian faith

– weekly at St.Peter’s on Sunday mornings

Midweek services Monday-Friday 8.00am Morning Prayer (St. Peter’s) Wednesdays 9.30am Holy Communion (St. Peter’s)

Thursdays 9.30am Holy Communion (St. Mary’s)

Christian Meditation Group (Weekly in St. Peter’s Room)

Benefice Services include the Good Friday morning Walk of Witness and evening Cross of Christ.

Christmas midnight at Felmersham and Christmas Day morning in Sharnbrook.

There is a Benefice Rogation Sunday walk across the Ouse River valley between Sharnbrook and Felmersham

All Saints’ Souldrop (in a small closely-knit community)

has experimented with special services ‘Thin Space’ and ‘Sacred Space’ and a Roving Nativity using the pub as the

Inn +

a new monthly 11.00am lay-led informal worship service

+ is wanting to return to a regular Sunday

service every week

An annual service is held in Radwell at the site of an ancient church, St. James. Today only a section of wall remains

which now forms part of a local barn.

Section 5

Children and Families

Both St. Peter’s and St. Mary’s enjoy a good relationship with their respective primary schools and are keen to develop

further opportunities for engagement. Both schools, and the Acorn Day Nursery in Sharnbrook, have visited and used our

churches during the year. A Craft & Activity Day, and a very successful ‘Pancake Day’, were held in St. Peter’s Room in

March. The Sharnbrook Primary School Choir took part in the Bedford Borough Civic Carol Service which St. Peter’s hosted

in December.

Messy Church for on average, 8 pre-school children and their

parents happens on Fridays (in term-time) at St. Peter’s

Sharnbrook, with lunch and hospitality provided by volunteers from

church.

In Felmersham, Messy Church is an after-school monthly event,

held in the School/Village Hall, with 15/20 enthusiastic children

between the ages of 4 and 10 years. Teachers encourage the

children to attend and offer advice and support.

Following feedback from the questionnaire to church members and the wider community, we want to continue to develop our All Age/Family Services to be more relevant … … and to maximise the opportunities provided by Festival services to involve children and their families as well as others from the wider community.

A charity sleepover!

Messy Church at St. Mary’s

Section 6

Ministry Team, PCCs & Finance The Benefice has a licensed lay-reader, and two experienced lay leaders of worship, who help regularly. We are very grateful to our local retired clergy, who have taken most of our services during the interregnum, and have also provided holiday cover in the past. We enjoy the services of four organists who together with our benefice choirs arrange and support various events during the year. Some choir members also sing with the Ouse Valley Singers and the Sharnbrook Community Choir. Bellringers now only serve Sharnbrook, unless there is a Benefice service or Wedding in Felmersham.

Our PCCs

Finances The Parish Share of £44,000 for St. Peter’s constitutes nearly 75% of our typical annual expenditure, but we have always managed to pay this in full, though in recent years this has involved an almost total depletion of our savings. We ended the year with a net surplus of £2106 on the General Account, and Unrestricted Cash assets of just £1586.There is £5k in the Fabric Fund to help fund the £40k cost of installing French Drains, to alleviate penetrating damp, and acid erosion in the base of the south wall and around the tower. St. Mary’s total income for 2018 was £24,355 of which £21,505 was voluntary giving, mostly planned and supported by gift aid. Expenditure totalled £26,810, the largest item being the parish share of £19,423 paid monthly. The excess expenditure does not reflect a trend, though we are aware of the need for corrective action. Monthly coffee mornings help raise around £2k a year for the restoration fund (over £20k raised since 2009) current balance in hand is £5,618. All Saints’ income is highly dependent on a few small generous donations. In 2018, following a letter to each house, a further 20% was given, so

total income for the year was £9,840 with expenditure totaling £9,823, including our £2,179 parish share paid in full. We benefit from a generous

bequest made some years ago, but in the past have had to dip into this to pay our parish share.

Annual accounts for each parish will be available on request, following the 2019 APCMs

St. Peter’s PCC meets bi-monthly,.

- dealing with everything except future events, - which are planned and

coordinated, by an events sub-committee. Fabric fund-raising is

currently focused on the French Drains Project.

All Saints’ meets about 5 times

a year and have set up a new ‘Mission & Outreach’ sub-group to plan and deliver

services and events. The leadership team are considering applying for a faculty to remove some pews and possibly install amenities to

make better use of the building.

St. Mary’s PCC meets bi-monthly & has

overseen major projects including restoration of

the organ and installing a disabled toilet &

kitchenette. Plans now are to remove some

pews to increase space for concerts & other

events and activities.

Section 7

Ecumenical & Community Links

We have a long established Ecumenical link with the Catholic parish of Christ the Worker in Calpino, Italy. Initially set up by St. Peter’s, this now involves people from across the Benefice. We remember one another in prayer, and groups have enjoyed bi-annual visits, the next to Italy in July 2019.

‘Churches Together in Sharnbrook’ unites St. Peter’s with the Methodist Church and the Roman Catholic community in joint services three times a year as well as -

an annual Harvest Supper

a monthly lunch club held at the Methodist Church

a twice monthly Carers Together support session

the Sharnbrook Good Neighbour Scheme

joint charitable support (eg. Bedford Food Bank & London Unlock Walk)

In responding to our parish questionnaire, members of the local evangelical church have asked us to explore ways of working together more.

Pastoral Care/Social Action A lay pastoral group at St. Peter’s send cards on birthdays or times of illness/bereavement, and make home visits where appropriate. There is regular contact with Sharnbrook House, a local residential care home, and St. Peter’s Annual Fete is held in their grounds. In 2018, our congregation raised £5,000 for appeals and charities, local and national. St. Mary’s PCC oversee four small charities, runs monthly coffee mornings hosted in people’s homes, to help raise funds for restoration work. Church members are also active with the Men’s Book Club, Table Tennis and various other community activities including a Community Care Trust which hosts a Thursday Club for older residents. There is a vibrant sense of community within Souldrop, with the Village Hall, Pub and Church being the focus of village events eg. coffee mornings, occasional suppers, quiz nights and an annual hog roast on the Village Green. ‘Scrub & Pub’ events have encouraged the wider community to help clean the church and tend the ground, followed by food and wine.

Communications The weekly Pew Notes include readings, prayers and psalms for the Sunday morning services, together with prayer requests, notices of future services, events and appeals. It is distributed widely across the Benefice and also available in hard copy in our Churches. The Sharnbrook Review and Felmersham Ouse News keep church members and residents in touch with local news, information about services and events, and traditionally includes a Rector’s letter. A newly introduced Review feature, ‘‘St. Peter’s Wardens’ Forum’’ invites comment and feedback on church activities. All Saints’ is working hard to raise the presence of the church in Souldrop, including the creation of a Facebook page and regular door to door leafleting to keep villagers informed about services and events. The Sharnbrook Benefice website, Felmersham.net and other village web pages provide plenty of opportunities to share information.

The Ouse Valley/Sharnbrook Deanery branch of the Mothers’ Union meets monthly in St. Peter’s Room.

Section 8

Schools and Education

Pinchmill Primary School in Felmersham, www.pinchmill.beds.sch.uk/, has a Good Ofsted rating and takes children aged 4–11

years from the adjoining villages as well as those living in the parish. There are approximately 70 children on roll. Pinchmill is a

feeder school for both Sharnbrook Academy and also Lincroft Academy in nearby Oakley village www.lincroft.beds.sch.uk/ -

Both secondary schools will be appointing new head teachers for the next academic year. Although not a C of E school,

Pinchmill Primary has developed close ties with the parish church, using the building for services and performances during the

year and welcoming clergy and lay people into the school. St. Mary’s after-school Messy Church is held in the school building

(which also serves as a Village Hall).

Pinchmill Pre-school www.pinchmillpre-school.co.uk/ rated outstanding by Ofsted for 3 years running, adjoins the Primary

School and takes children from the surrounding area, aged 2–4 years. There is also a pre-school facility in Sharnbrook.

Sharnbrook has two very good and popular schools. These are the Primary School, www.sharnbrookprimary.beds.sch.uk

and the Secondary School, Sharnbrook Academy, www.sharnbrook.beds.sch.uk, both have excellent OFSTED ratings and

are highly sought after. The move from a three-tier to a two-tier school structure, means that children from Sharnbrook and

across the Benefice, can now complete all their education within the Benefice.

St. Peter’s has a good relationship with the Primary School, especially through our Rise & Shine and Messy Church groups,

and through participation at church events and visits. Last October a group of schoolchildren spent an afternoon at the

church learning about the history and workings of the building. The connection with Sharnbrook Academy has not been as

strong over recent years, and this presents a significant Mission challenge for the future.

Sharnbrook Primary Sharnbrook Academy Pinchmill Primary

Section 9

The Rectory

The Rectory is a good family-size 1960’s house in a central position on Sharnbrook High Street, and just a 5 minute walk from St.

Peter’s Church.

Accommodation includes a large lounge, dining room, kitchen, study/office and toilet / cloakroom on the ground floor. Upstairs there

are four bedrooms, bathroom, and separate toilet. Some general interior upgrading and garden maintenance is currently taking

place in liaison with the Diocese. Outside there is a shared driveway and a large double garage / storage space, with small front and

rear gardens mainly laid to lawn. A full quinquennial inspection took place in March 2019.

The Rectory overlooks a large area of private land known as The Spinney, along the bank of the Sharn Brook. Access to this area

can be obtained by private arrangement and payment of a quarterly subscription, currently £50.

Appendix 1: Current Service Patterns

Services Times St. Peter’s Sharnbrook St. Mary’s Felmersham All Saints’ Souldrop

Sunday NORMAL PATTERN

9.30am Choral Parish Communion with ‘Rise & Shine’ children’s group 6.00pm Benefice Evensong (BCP)

11.00am Choral Parish Communion Weekly services were held at All Saints’ Souldrop before the interregnum – the current pattern is a temporary measure.

VARIATION 1st

Sunday 11.00am Service of the Word (lay-led)

VARIATION 2nd

Sunday 9.30am All Age Worship (communion or non-communion)

VARIATION 3rd

Sunday 8.30am Holy communion (BCP)

VARIATION 4th

Sunday 11.00am Choral Matins

VARIATION 5th

Sunday 6.00pm Benefice Taize service

Midweek Wednesday 9:30am Holy Communion wks 1,3,5 9:30am Morning Prayer wks 2,4

Thursday 9:30am Holy Communion

Special Lent Advent

8:00pm Compline (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)

8:00pm Compline (Tuesday, Thursday)

Christmas Eve Christmas Day

10:00am Holy Communion

11:30pm Midnight Eucharist

St. James’ Day

11:00am open air service at Radwell at former church site, now part of a barn

Harvest Festival Remembrance Sunday

Celebrated at each Parish Church Celebrated at each Parish Church

Occasional Evening Prayer 5:00pm Tuesday or Wednesday

Combined Patronal Festivals St. Peter’s (End of June) St. Mary’s (Mid August) All Saints (early November)

Ash Wednesday Maundy Thursday

7:30pm Communion – alternating between St. Peter’s and St. Mary’s

Sharnbrook Churches Together

Three joint 10:30am services a year with local Roman Catholics and Methodists – Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (January); Christian Aid Week (May), One World Week (October), alternating between Methodist and Anglican Churches

- and then a 6:00pm Benefice Communion, usually at St. Peter’s.

There are aspects of the current service pattern that are not ideal. For example, the congregation at St. Peter’s, Sharnbrook, would appreciate the opportunity to mingle and network with clergy over coffee after their Sunday morning service. At All Saints’, Souldrop, there is a desire to restore a service every Sunday

Statistics for Mission

Electoral Roll

Average attendance

Over 16 years Under 16 years Pastoral services in 2018

Baptisms Weddings Funerals

St. Peter’s 70 52 5 5 5 + 1 Blessing 7

St. Mary’s 60 23 1 1 1 7

All Saints’ 10 7 1 1 0 2